


bodyguard

by hspecters



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Assassin's Festival DLC, Confessions, Jealousy, Kissing, M/M, Misunderstandings, Requited Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:14:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21907327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hspecters/pseuds/hspecters
Summary: Gladio brushes off Noct, and apparently neither of them were prepared for how that would make Noct feel.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 3
Kudos: 64
Collections: FFXV Holiday Gift Exchange 2019





	bodyguard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyLarkFrand](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLarkFrand/gifts).



_I was asking her._

Gladio’s words were still smarting as Noct wandered around the festival with Prompto, trying to distract himself and failing miserably.

Sure, it was really lame how much Assassin lore Noct knew, but he and Prom had played the game constantly as teenagers, and it held a soft spot in Noct’s heart. He wouldn’t be bringing it up again though; first time in weeks he’d been interested in something, and Gladiolus had shot him down instantly, more interested in listening to Holly.

_The ladies and I have got some catching up to do._

Noctis scowled as what Gladio had said next reverberated around his head as well. What did ‘catching up’ even mean? Talking shop with Holly? Discussing the Regalia with Cindy? Surely they had very little else in common. 

Whatever. Gladio was a grown man, and if he wanted to go make small talk with people he barely knew, that was his choice. Noct would have a great time at the festival just hanging out with Prompto, who was at least equally as excited about everything as he was.

“Dude.” A nudge from Prom startled Noct, and he looked up, confused. “I asked what was wrong. Which one of us has pissed you off?”

“How do you know I’m pissed off?” Noctis frowned, and Prompto laughed.

“Okay, so it is one of us. Let’s see. Well, I did steal the rest of your breakfast, but in my defence, you said you were done. Iggy was moaning about the costumes, but he’s always been a prude, so surely that wasn’t a huge surprise? I don’t even know what Gladio could have done. Did he fart in the back of the car earlier? Because I’ve been there, and I can sym-”

“He didn’t fart, Prompto,” Noctis sighed, massaging his temples. He’d die for Prom in a heartbeat, and would murder anyone who so much as threatened him, but he did sometimes consider whether it would be himself making an attempt on his life next.

“So it’s Gladio,” Prompto said, smugly. “I like this game.”

“I don’t,” Noctis grumbled. “Come on, let’s go find a stand or something, anything.”

“Alright, alright, you don’t want to talk about it, I get it,” Prompto said. “But just tell me you agree with me about his far-”

“Prom!”

* * *

“Did you see the way I took out the one that snuck up on my left?! He was like ‘argh’ and I was like ‘pew pew’ and bam, defeated. What a team, Noct, what a team.”

Noctis nodded along absentmindedly as Prompto ran through a blow by blow account of their actions in the Whack-a-Cactuar attraction, complete with sound effects and hand gestures. It had been fun, and they’d absolutely smashed it, but it hadn’t done as much to improve Noct’s mood as he’d hoped.

“Yep, you were great,” Noct replied, trying to sound enthusiastic.

Prompto rolled his eyes. “Come on, let’s head over to Tostwell Grill. I overheard someone raving about their spicy skewers earlier.”

“Sure.”

They mooched along the streets, Prompto eagerly grabbing as many medallions as he could find as Noct followed, hands stuffed in his pockets.

The place was pretty crowded, and every so often they caught snatches of conversation as they weaved their way through. Even Noct couldn’t help but share a smile with Prompto when they overheard someone making the genuine suggestion to their friend that they hire an assassin to take out their troublesome husband.

“Glad that guy isn’t me,” Prompto snorted as they rounded a corner.

“Same,” Noct agreed. “You’d like to think she’d maybe try counselling first.”

Prompto snickered, and Noct allowed himself a laugh too as they passed another group of people dressed up.

“...just met this guy with a wicked cool eagle tattoo.”

Noct nearly snapped his neck as he spun round, stopping dead in his tracks and staring at the woman who was gossiping to her friends. They were giggling as she continued to describe him, and Noct clenched his fists, some ugly feeling surging inside of him and catching him by surprise.

“Hey, buddy, what’s up?” Prompto asked, gently jogging back to where Noct had paused and placing a hand on his arm.

“Nothing,” Noct growled, shrugging Prompto off him. “Come on, let’s... let’s just go back to the hotel.”

Prompto stepped back, eyes wide, then nodded, turning round and heading in the direction they’d just come from, back to the Leville.

“You wanna talk about it?” Prompto asked halfway through the walk there, and Noct just shook his head. 

He didn’t even know what there was to talk about. The fact that someone in the street had seen someone who might have been Gladio and had found him attractive? Not even attractive; they’d just liked his tattoo. Noct had made that assumption. And it was hardly Gladio’s fault that he’d caught someone else’s eye. For all Noct knew, Gladio didn’t even know this woman existed.

Before he could push it away though, Gladio’s earlier dismissal of him fought its way back to the forefront of his thoughts, and his blood boiled again.

Storming through the lobby of the hotel, Noct raced up the stairs, unsure of whether he wanted Gladio to be in the room or not.

He shoved the door of the room open, and found himself dismayed that only Ignis was standing there, looking at him expectantly, an expression which soon turned to worry. 

“Noct? What is it?”

“Where’s Gladio?” Noctis asked sharply.

Ignis frowned. “He’s still out at the festival. I decided to retire early, catch up on my sleep.”

Prompto arrived in the doorway, a little out of breath, and Ignis glanced around Noct to check on him, equally as startled as when Noct had made his entrance.

“Is everything okay?” Ignis asked gently, looking from one boy to the other.

Prompto shrugged behind Noct’s back, while Noct just sighed. “Yes. Sorry.”

Knowing when to press and when to drop the subject for the moment, Ignis nodded, turning round to continue getting the beds ready. Prompto wandered over to help, as Noct headed out on to the balcony, needing some air.

Gods, he was being so childish, and he knew it. His friends had dedicated their entire lives to helping him, dropped everything to join him on a road trip that had turned into a fight for their lives, and now, when they were taking a few days off to enjoy something lighthearted, he was being a petulant kid and sulking because he wasn’t centre of attention.

Still restless, he walked back into the room and announced he was going on a walk, his tone making it very clear that he wanted to be alone.

“Okay, buddy,” Prompto said, ever understanding. “You know where we are if you need us.”

Ignis nodded in agreement, and Noct tried to force a smile at them.

“Thanks.”

* * *

Hoping it would clear his mind, Noct spent a few hours mindlessly wandering around the festival, helping other people and stocking up on medallions as the sun started to dip in the sky. Between shady dealings involving taking out some Magiteks and less shady dealings at Tostwells - Prompto had been right, the skewers were delicious - his pockets were heavy with change.

“Thanks for your help, man,” the head chef told him as Noct finished up taking his last order.

“No worries,” Noct replied, glad for the distraction. “Hey - is there any chance I can get that spicy skewer recipe?”

The man frowned, thinking, and then smirked. “Only if you come back later.”

“I’m so sorry, I can’t,” Noct said, genuinely disappointed. He’d hoped that the recipe could be a peace offering to Prom and Iggy once he got back. “Oh, but I could come back tomorrow?”

“Maybe,” the chef said, mulling it over.

“...I could come back tomorrow with three friends?” Noct suggested, and the man’s face lit up.

“Deal,” he nodded, sticking his hand out for Noct to shake. “You come back to me tomorrow with your friends and I’ll have the recipe written down for you.”

“Thanks,” Noct smiled, trying not to think about how impossible holding up his end of the deal might prove to be. “See you tomorrow.”

“I’ll be waiting!”

With a laugh, Noctis headed away from Tostwell Grill, back towards the centre of town, where people were still dutifully fulfilling their Leap of Faith. Noct couldn’t lie; he was a little jealous that he couldn’t join in.

Instead he approached the stall he and Prompto had been ogling earlier, where he could cash his medallions in and get his hands on some souvenirs, hoping that they’d help with the peace offering.

“Two copies of the festival _Viva la Vista_ , please,” Noct said, emptying his pockets on to the counter.

“Wow, what did you do? Murder someone?” the attendant laughed, eyes wide at the huge pile of coins.

There was a beat of silence, Noct taking a little too long to laugh along with him. The smile slid from the man’s face, and both of them cleared their throats, the awkward tension hanging heavy between them.

“Yeah, two copies, coming right up,” he said hurriedly, ducking down to retrieve the magazines from under the counter, and taking the right number of medallions away from Noct’s pile. “You want the rest of this back?”

“Uhh, just exchange it for some other stuff, use it all up. I don’t mind what I get.”

The attendant nodded, beginning to count up the remainder, as Noct turned away to look out over the festival. He hadn’t noticed how dark it had grown, but night had well and truly fallen. Once he was done here, he’d probably start heading back to the hotel - he didn’t want to worry Iggy and Prom any more than he already had.

“Here you go,” the attendant said, smiling at him a little fearfully as he handed Noct a bag of Assassin themed stuff.

“Thank you,” Noct said, taking it from him, and pocketing the two leftover medallions he was handed for no real reason. “Hey, do you know the fastest way back to the Leville from here?”

Looking far too relieved at the prospect of Noct leaving his stand, the attendant was more than happy to give detailed instructions on which alleyways Noct could cut through in order to reach the hotel faster.

Nodding his thanks and goodbye, Noct set off in the direction he’d pointed, realising for the first time just how weary he was. As good as it had been to get out and hang out with his own company for a bit, his thoughts still kept circling back round to Gladio’s dismissal of him this morning, and the way the giggling women later had made him feel like something was clawing its way up inside of him.

He had no idea what that something was, but he didn’t like it.

Laughter once again pulled him out of his thoughts, and he turned at the sound of it instinctively before going to carry on, except... except the laughter sounded familiar, and the low, steady hum that replied to it was a voice Noct would know anywhere.

Turning a corner to locate the source of the noise, Noct found himself looking at Gladio leaning against a wall outside a busy bar, sipping a drink and smiling at the same three women who had been discussing an eagle tattoo earlier.

Noctis knew he’d been right earlier. They _were_ talking about Gladio.

As he strode towards the group, his ears ringing, his cheeks flushed, Noct suddenly pinpointed with perfect clarity what that horrible something he’d felt earlier had been, because he was feeling it again now only tenfold.

 _Jealousy_.

“...and so I said to her, he looks like a bodyguard, and-”

“And what do you know, I _am_ a bodyguard-”

“Which is just so funny, because-”

“Excuse me,” Noct cut in, barging his way into the group and stopping their conversation.

Gladio’s expression flitted from surprise to worry, while the women glared at him, irritated at the rudeness of this seeming stranger. 

“Yes, excuse you,” one of them said angrily, rounding on him, before Gladio stepped in between them in one fluid motion, puffing his chest up a little and making Noct’s stomach do a strange somersault which felt ill-timed.

She stepped backwards, raising her eyebrows at Gladio this time, who didn’t budge from where he stood half in front of Noct.

When Noct said nothing, Gladio decided to take matters into his own hands.

“Apologies, ladies, but it looks like I’m needed. Enjoy your evening.”

Gladio slammed his glass down on the nearest table with a little more force than necessary, before gripping Noct’s shoulder too tightly and forcing him back in the direction he’d come from. Behind them, Noct could hear the group discussing how awful it must be to have to work for such a brat, and he knew Gladio could hear too.

It felt like his entire body was on fire by the time Gladio stopped, having frogmarched him all the way to the edge of the bay, where they’d left the Regalia what seemed like a lifetime ago.

A confusing mix of shame, guilt and leftover envy were all swirling in the pit of Noct’s stomach, and he didn’t know whether to run, yell, or throw up.

“Sit,” Gladio instructed, and Noct obeyed instantly, plopping down on to the low wall and looking up at his Shield, not having a clue what to say.

 _Sorry I got jealous and crashed your date night? Sorry I can’t bear the thought of other people being attracted to you, and worse, you attracted to them? Sorry that I felt a sudden, inexplicable need to make sure the world knew you were_ my _bodyguard, that you look out for_ me _?_

Right.

“Is everything okay? Are you okay? Are Prom and Iggy okay?” were Gladio’s first questions, and Noct’s heart squeezed.

“Yes,” he answered instantly, needing to soothe the concern on Gladio’s face. “I’m fine, and the others are at the hotel. I was on my way back to them when I ran into you.”

“When you ‘ran into me’?” asked Gladio sceptically. “Is that what you call purposefully storming into a conversation to break it up?”

“I’m sorry,” Noct muttered, ducking his head so he didn’t have to look into Gladio’s accusing eyes.

“Sorry? That’s all I’m getting? No explanation, no reasoning, no-”

“I was jealous!” Noct exploded, standing up again so he could level with his Shield, who had fallen silent. “I was jealous, of them, and of everyone else you ever blow me off for, today and every other day. I’m so _sick_ of being so envious of everyone, but I can’t help it, because you’re always out there, so much more interested in anything and anyone who isn’t me. I’m sorry that I’m not interesting, Gladio, and I’m sorry that you’re burdened with having to look after _me_ , when clearly it’s the worst job anyone could ask for, but all I ever want is for you to just notice me, and even just _pretend_ to be interested when I talk about stuff, and for you to look at me like I’m not just-”

“Noct!” Gladio barked.

Noctis stopped, slightly out of breath, unused to giving such long speeches, and Gladio gently guided him back down so they were both sat on the wall this time, facing one another.

“I’m sorry,” Noctis said, and he hoped it conveyed his apology for everything.

He knew that he had no right to demand control of every aspect of Gladio’s life when he already took up so much of it, but the idea of Gladio being with anyone else, not as a bodyguard, but just as a human, as his self, was enough to make Noct’s heart feel like it was breaking.

He loved him, he realised, with startling clarity. 

He was in love with Gladiolus.

Trying to read Noct’s face and getting nothing but shock, Gladio tried a different tack.

“Tell me what’s going on in there,” Gladio said softly, tapping the side of Noct’s head softly with his fingers.

Noct looked up at him, eyes wide, and Gladio tried so hard, _so hard_ , to stuff down all of the feelings inside of him threatening to bubble to the surface for the first time, knowing that Noct wasn’t looking at him because of _that_.

“I was jealous,” Noct repeated, and then took a deep breath. “I was jealous, because I thought you were on a date, that you might be interested in one, gods, maybe even all of those women, and I can’t- I have no rights to you other than as my Shield, but-”

Gladio pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d imagined this scenario so many times, but sitting in the middle of Lestallum with both of them in fancy dress was a new one.

“Noctis,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “You have every right to me, to all of me, but we can’t- it wouldn’t be appropriate. Royal protocol exists for a reason, and-”

“Screw royal protocol!” Noctis exploded, shaking his head. “I’m the Crown Prince, heir to a throne which my father no longer holds since he’s dead, a fugitive in my own kingdom, on the run with the only three people I can truly trust in the world, with no clear way of ending this fight, or ever getting back to normal, so _screw_ protocol, because we don’t know what’s going to happen next, and I can’t-”

He was cut off by Gladio’s lips against his own, completely stealing his breath.

When they pulled apart, Noct just stood there, weak-kneed, trying to get a handle on the jumble of feelings he had inside, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to figure out what to say but found himself lost for words.

Gladio snorted.

“I would’ve done that a lot sooner if I knew how effective it would be in shutting you up.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
